ABOUT EVENT:
BizCONNECT
Location: King’s Head Pub, 120 King St.
Tuesday, November 19, 2024 | 4:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Are you looking for more opportunities to connect with other professionals, grow your business, and sharpen your skills? We’ve heard you, and we’re ready to connect you.
BizCONNECT is designed to help you expand your network, and to increase your networking skills. Whether you’re a seasoned business owner or just starting out, these after work sessions are your chance to network and meet other Chamber members.
REGISTER HERE
Free to attend | Food and drink available for purchase at venue
To learn more about the benefits of a Chamber membership, including discounted ticket rates, click here.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Accessibility: We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully. If you require accommodation, please let us know when you register.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Gloria Thom graduated from Red River College in 2005, attended the Canadian Western School of Business to study corporate finance in 2014, and then returned to Red River College for courses in Project Management in 2019.
In early 2020, Gloria formed her own consulting company, turned a profit in Year 1 and increased revenue in Year 2 by over 1,000 %. Entrepreneurship has been a part of Gloria’s life for 20 years, and she started investing in her own local MB startup community 6 years ago by becoming an Angel Investor, focused mainly on pumping her own private equity into Prairie-based tech startups.
Advising startup founders, raising funds for pre-seed and seed-stage companies has been Gloria’s core focus, as well as working hands-on in helping founders grow and scale their business. In the last 5 years, she has completed Due Diligence on more than 200 Canadian early-stage companies and created warm relationships with many Venture Capital and private investors across Canada. Gloria’s core principles in advising founders are based on a relationship management first approach.
Gloria possesses strong business acumen and negotiation skills, drilling to the root of an organization’s most difficult problems and tackling systemic issues while demonstrating and teaching high emotional intelligence.
In April 2024, Gloria, together with her business partners, Dr. Alain Beaudry and Richard Avila launched Cofoundr Innovation Group Inc., a private equity firm focused on investing early-stage capital and hands-on building resources for tangible companies in traditional market sectors. Gloria serves as Chief Development Officer for Cofoundr.
Patrick McLenehan is a Corporate Relationship Advisor at Steinbach Credit Union (SCU). His previous experience includes nearly 15 years in the financial services sector, eight of which have been with SCU. Over his career, he has been fortunate to have gained experience in front-line service, business development, financial advising, consumer lending, and more recently, as a corporate lending account manager. He earned his degree from the University of Manitoba and received further training and education in the field of Business Professional Development. Patrick enjoys getting to know clients and gaining a greater understanding of how he might help them reach their goals.
Sandy Chahal boasts over 25 years of distinguished experience in the financial industry, coupled with expertise in Event Management, Marketing, Relationship Building, Negotiations, and Conflict Resolution.
Commencing her career with CIBC in 1994, Sandy quickly rose through the ranks, eventually becoming COO at Lawton Partners Wealth Management in 2014. Here, she excelled in optimizing operations and fostering a culture of success.
Beyond her professional achievements, Sandy is deeply committed to public service. Since 2000, she has played pivotal roles in the Federal Liberal Party, recognized by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for overseeing federal elections in Manitoba.
Sandy has a robust history of community involvement, with past board roles at The Forks North Portage Partnership and the Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council. She currently serves on Volunteer Manitoba, Manitoba Opera, the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, and the Mayor’s Multi-Faith Circle, along with the Patient & Family Advisory Council at Concordia Hospital.
Born in India and raised in Canada, Sandy cherishes family time, particularly with her grandson, Ikam. Her pursuits include travel, Punjabi bhangra dance, and leisurely walks.
Sandy’s journey embodies leadership, resilience, and service, reflecting a commitment to excellence and making a positive impact in her community and beyond.
